Can the NFL fine Aaron Donald after Bengals brawl?
During joint practice between the Rams and Bengals on 25 August, Aaron Donald led a fight between the two organizations after an off-the-ball incident.
The Rams and Bengals met for joint practice and a preseason exhibition game almost six months after Super Bowl LVI, where Los Angeles were crowned champions after defeating Cincinnati, but any sense of goodwill swiftly evaporated when the two sides engaged in a mass brawl. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald starred the dust-up and he will now have to face the consequences.
According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, the Rams will punish Donald and Leonard Floyd for provoking the fight against members of the Bengals roster. It remains unclear if La’el Collins, a Cincinnati player involved in the brawl, will face disciplinary action.
Rams to punish Donald as NFL cannot act
“The incident will be addressed internally and any disciplinary action will be held behind closed doors,” a Rams spokesman said of the incident.
The sanction against Donald will not go further than the LA franchise. As Tom Pelissero of NFL Network explained after the brawl, in the case of joint practices the teams are obliged to guarantee the safety of all those involved and the league is powerless to intervene in such incidents.
The root of the brawl
According to Barshop and he ESPN colleague Ben Baby, the fight started after an unidentified Rams defensive back grabbed Collins from behind during a running play. Neither player was near the ball, which was in the possession of Joe Mixon.
Collins reacted violently and began throwing punches. He then removed Floyd’s helmet, sparking the brawl involving Donald.